Raphinha hat-trick as Barcelona stay perfect in La Liga

Barcelona kept their unbeaten start to the La Liga season intact with a 7-2 thrashing of Racing Santander, inspired by a hat-trick by Raphael Dias Belloli, known mononymously as Raphinha.

The Brazilian has now scored 11 goals in all competitions this season, nine of them in the league, as Hansi Flick's side opened their title defence with six straight league wins and have now scored five or more goals in five of their seven matches, taking their tally for the campaign to 33.

Joao Cancelo broke the deadlock after eight minutes with a curling 20-yard strike, before Raphinha doubled Barcelona's lead from the penalty spot, Sam Drury writes for the BBC.

Racing pulled one back through Maguette Gueye, but Barcelona restored their two-goal cushion when a second Cancelo effort deflected in off Asier Villalibre and was recorded as an own goal. Raphinha added a fourth before the break, while Lamine Yamal saw a penalty saved by Julen Agirrezabala.

Yassir Zabiri reduced the arrears for Racing in the 65th minute, but Barcelona were awarded a second penalty two minutes later, which Raphinha converted to complete his treble.

Yamal later turned provider for substitute Gabriel Jesus before finally getting his own name on the scoresheet in the 89th minute.